


No Man's Land

by twitch



Series: kylux cantina prompts [19]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 14:43:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11255076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twitch/pseuds/twitch
Summary: The Finalizer is the battleground of the two enemies known as Lord Ren and General Hux. In all the spaces in between lies No Man's Land, where anything can happen.





	No Man's Land

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't post this to the kylux cantina even though this is based off of one of the prompts posted on Sunday. With Mitaka's narrative I didn't think it would be a perfect fit. Yet, for those who may be interested in reading this week's theme was Boundaries. Prompt: "No Man’s Land, the dangerous territory between two opposing forces."

He was a brave man, to an extent. In the Academy, in amongst his peers, he was not the strongest of boys but that didn’t stop him. He never required fighting words, silence and a firm look conveying his stance when people tried to intimidate him. He wouldn’t back down or deflect, taking the repercussions for his fist fights, taking the blame for his part. Above all he preferred to talk his way out or walk away. Soon his classmates respected his silence, leaving him alone. There were always other kids to pick on.

That, and his skills and smarts, guaranteed his survival through to graduation.

He looked forward to life amongst the stars. He applied to all ships with positions to be filled. He knew he’d be accepted as a junior officer before given the opportunity to work up the hierarchal ladder. He looked forward to it, bracing himself for the petty rivalry and one-upmanship to prove his worth. He didn’t throw the other juniors under the proverbial TIE fighter, just worked harder, showing just how good he was at every assigned job. His work ethic was all it took to rise through the ranks.

When he found out his application for the Finalizer was approved, under the glowing commendations of the recently ranked General Hux, he couldn’t have been prouder. They had worked together before and he liked to think of themselves as a great team. The Finalizer was already a legend, a behemoth of the galaxy capable of taking out a full squadron of Resistance x-wings in less than a minute.

Setting foot on the Finalizer for the first time, the ship coasting silently but deadly, he felt a shiver creep from his neck through his shoulders down to his fingers.

He heard of the Knights of Ren and their leader Lord Ren. 

He only caught a fleeting a glimpse, a cascading excess of black fabric and light glancing oddly off the angles and planes of his mask.

The beast inside the beast. 

He who used Stormtroopers as doll soldiers, never collecting them after he was done with them. If they could move on their own they were welcome to return to the Finalizer. If not, left as food for the scavengers on which ever planet they fell.

To the officers he was a necessary menace. Co-commander of the Finalizer, they were his to instruct, and they did respond to him when he demanded it. To be the one to approach him in response to his directions was one thing but if bad news was the intent then an officer had good reason to fear for their lives. 

To Hux they may as well be enemies. They worked for the First Order, under the command of the Supreme Leader, but their goals were not the same. Their work ethic shared two common traits; complete and utter stubbornness and the belief that they alone were right. On all other perspectives they clashed.

When the ship itself wasn’t taking the brunt of Ren’s disagreement it was the ‘Troopers and the officers who felt the impact of his aggression. There was no real area of safety outside of their own quarters or barracks. Walking the corridors of the Finalizer required a constant lookout for sweeping black robes and the crackle of that haywire weapon. 

The battle was supposed to be against the Resistance and the Republic but it was just as much war amongst themselves.

He had yet to see Hux return fire on the Knight on a physical level. He struck out with words, candid threats. Where Ren sliced and burned with his lightsaber Hux cut with steely eyes and pitched voice. He didn’t normally hit first but he always parried back. 

The few times he’d been there to witness their fights he wanted nothing more than to escape. Ren had made it plain on numerous occasions that he could and did use the Force on whoever he wished, including his co-commander. The one time he had seen Hux under that invisible chokehold he didn’t grapple or wheeze, just watched Ren from glassy eyes, calm as if to say ‘Is this all you have?’

Awed and terrified he stared, hoping that he could have that grace. 

Sadly, the day he was dragged forward into Ren’s grip, he could only try to clutch at the Force beyond his control. 

In the days that followed, shutting down the Republic and their attempts to destroy the Resistance, the battle for dominance was forgotten. Running for their lives was everyone’s priority, to escape Starkiller back for the safety of the Finalizer. Taking stock of the lives lost in the battle, plotting course, deciding the next course of action, they were allowed the quiet reprieve of Ren in medbay.

Hux was taking on the workload for two, communicating with the Knights of Ren and the Supreme Leader in Lord Ren’s stead. The shadows under his eyes only grew heavier and darker with each passing cycle. He spent his days in meetings, on ship and holo-calls with other ships, intel and bureaucrats. The duties of the Finalizer remained prominent. And yet, without fail, when he should’ve been in his quarters asleep, he wasn’t.

He only knew that because after Hux nearly fell asleep on his feet he agreed that sleep might be a good thing. He followed the General to ensure his safe arrival to his quarters but instead Hux ventured down to the medbay.

Once on the other side of the sliding doors, Mitaka stepped out from around the corner, giving Hux several seconds before venturing down the corridor and inside. The medical assistant who was currently working the shift of receptionist and first aid provider of minor ailments nodded to him, gesturing in the direction the room Hux went to.

Last he heard Ren was still undergoing bacta treatment but as of pushing the door open a crack, the last person to enter not closing it firmly shut, he was lying in a cot that wasn’t equipped for the two men occupying it. 

And he was confident that between the two of them, Hux’s hands pulling at his hair and sliding over his face, and the kisses that grew more heated they more they twisted together, that his scar would reopen. 

Maybe now they could focus on the real war.


End file.
